Suspected murderer has preliminary hearing Tuesday

HAMILTON COUNTY, TN (WRCB) -
A man charged with shooting and killing a man in January went before a judge Tuesday morning for his preliminary hearing. Rodney "Big Head" Jennings, 27, is charged with first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Police said Jennings is responsible for the shooting death of Raphael White on January 28 in East Lake.

Judge Gary Starnes bound the case over and kept his bond at $1 million.

Several witnesses testified they saw or heard Jennings fire one shot at the victim before 7 that evening.

According to the affidavit, "Witnesses states that Rodney Jennings Jr. (suspect) came to the residence at 6th Avenue Court wanting to see his children. Witnesses said that the suspect stepped into the kitchen and one of the witnesses told him that the kids were asleep and that he needed to leave the residence. One of the witnesses then states that they and the suspect were in a verbal disorder at this point and they told him at least two more times to leave the residence.... Multiple witnesses then said that just as the victim was closing the inner door of the residence, the suspect shot the victim and fled the scene toward 4th Avenue."

White died at Erlanger, leaving behind three kids and his mother. She spoke to Channel 3 Tuesday, but asked us blur her face out of fear for her safety. She said her son was supposed to go to her house for a big dinner that evening.

"His friends called him so he went a different direction. He went to East Lake projects. He never made it home. He got killed," she said.

Jennings was arrested in Memphis in March after spending some time on the TBI's Most Wanted list.

Billy Graham would be the first to say that his message was not complex or unique, but he won over audiences worldwide with his friendliness, openness, humility and unyielding religious conviction.More

Billy Graham would be the first to say that his message was not complex or unique, but he won over audiences worldwide with his friendliness, openness, humility and unyielding religious conviction.More